


Nothing but a heartache

by gottalovev



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (very light spoilers), Captain Marvel (2019) Spoilers, First Kiss, First Time, Identity Porn, Impersonation, M/M, Pining, Post-Avengers (2012), Romance, Skrull(s), Steve Rogers is Not a Virgin, as he is deceived, but he's bad at romance, it doesn't go too far, of note that Steve mistakes a Skrull for Tony which gives slight non-con vibes, set in 2013 at most, suggests happy team in the tower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 08:50:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20207029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottalovev/pseuds/gottalovev
Summary: Steve shoud have known that Tony suddenly flirting with him wasn't normal. It turns out it wasn't Tony at all.





	Nothing but a heartache

**Author's Note:**

> As a FYI, there are slight spoilers for Captain Marvel as I use the concept of MCU Skrulls. Steve interacts with a Tony-impersonator, leading to the slight non-con warning in the tags (I am in my opinion over-warning, but better safe than sorry. More info if you need in the end notes). 
> 
> The story itself is set post Avengers, as the team is getting closer and lives in the tower in lovely domesticity (isn't denial a nice place? I love it.)

Steve turns the page of the romance novel for more; he loves when the characters realize they are starting to have feelings for each other. The handsome stranger kisses the heroine's hand and leaves with a smile and a wink. Unsurprisingly, it annoys Alicia, mostly because she's flustered by the gesture. Steve wonders what Natasha thought of this part… She complains that the books are predictable (of course they are!) but still devours them just as fast as he does.

Steve doesn't know when reading romance novels became a prime relaxing technique for the Avengers. What is for sure is that everyone on the team does it at least once in a while, save for Tony. He doesn't have time for this silly pastime, having a company and multiple side projects. He never mocks them for it, though, even if it makes him smile with amusement, and ― if Steve can read him right ― quite a bit of fondness too.

Any given day, half a dozen of the slim books can be found in the communal space, laying on tables or tucked between couch cushions. They write their first initial inside the front cover, so that they can give the novels away when everyone has read them. Steve checks 'The Consultant Count' ― and sees 'T.C.B.N.'; he's the last to read it, then. Thor is particularly fond of the ones that are history-based, it makes sense he got to it first. Steve often wonders what kind would be Tony's favorite if he tried them. The racy ones, full of adventure and plot twists? Or the romantic stories with a slow burn? Steve loves it when the love interest is rich, handsome, seems like an asshole at first, but has a heart of gold; he's predictable like that. 'The Consultant Count' looks promising on that front.

"Oh, there you are! Those don't look like strategy mission reports…"

Steve looks up and smiles as Tony walks towards him with a teasing smirk. He looks gorgeous today, which is not a surprise. Tony always looks good, but Steve is partial to the dark red shirt and black suit jacket combo he's dressed in today that flatters his complexion. He also has a blue box under one arm that make Steve curious.

"You were looking for me?" Steve closes his book and slides it under his thigh. He's not ashamed of reading romance novels, none of them are, but it's still silly.

"Yes." Tony sits by his side. "Bruce and I were talking about immune defense against infection. It veered into wondering if, on top of your hyper reactive immune system that dutifully floods your bloodstream with neutrophils whenever there's a threat, if the neutrophils themselves were superpowered and more effective than regular human ones."

Steve scoffs, amused. "Super white blood cells. Could be. I thought it had been investigated though."

God knows there had been so many tests, he couldn't even name them all (if he'd been told at all). But didn't Bruce check that out, in the first weeks after the Battle of New York?

"Sure, but not by Bruce and I," Tony says with a wink.

Guess not, then. Steve must not have understood right. Frankly, in the first months after the Avengers formation, he was annoyed that his teammates and supposed friends wanted to poke and prod at him like a lab rat, the same as every other scientist. He hadn't looked much into their research, and Steve now regrets his disinterested attitude.

"And what if they are? Super neutrophils?" Steve asks, curious now.

"The NETs they produce, uh, that's for neutrophil extracellular traps? Okay, so the NETs are quite simple. If we can pinpoint the differences, if any, between how yours do it at the genetic level, maybe we could replicate the process in regular ones. We wouldn't have a super serum per se, but a very effective tool to combat a lot of disease."

Tony is talking with enthusiasm, leaning in the space between them, and keeps lightly touching Steve's arm. It's heady to be the focus of his attention like that, and Steve's skin buzzes at every brush of Tony's fingers. He doesn't know why, today of all days, Tony is finally breaching the distance with him ― he's so careful not to, usually ― but Steve loves it.

"That would be pretty great," Steve agrees. "What do you need?"

A big smile lights up Tony's face as he opens the box he'd set by his side.

"A bit of blood," he says. The box contains all the equipment he needs, with three collection tubes. "I know you don't like―"

"It's all right," Steve interrupts. "I don't mind when it's you."

Heck, he'd give Tony whatever he asked for, without questions.

"Excellent." Tony has already pulled Steve's forearm to rest it on his knees, and he ties an elastic band around his arm with care. They usually don't bother with that, but it's Bruce who normally draws blood or takes samples. Tony must follow the usual method since he's doing it on his own. Steve keeps his mouth shut, enjoying the contact.

Next, Tony opens the foil packet containing an alcohol-soaked wipe with his teeth to clean the inside of Steve's elbow. "There we go, gorgeous," he says, before trailing his fingers down Steve's arm. It makes goosebumps erupts on Steve's skin and his heart race. This is… Tony is flirting with him, and that is definitely new too.

Tony touches people to get their attention all the time. In a casual conversation he often brushes his fingers on the other's hand, gives a pat on an arm or get close enough for a slight shoulder nudge. Sometimes it's playful, or maybe unconscious, but other times at fundraisers it's clearly calculated and practiced. Steve catalogs how Tony touches other people, he can't help it. Heck, Tony had memorably initiated physical contact with Steve too, on the helicarrier the day they met. Not a fun one, but a heavy hand on his shoulder, to assert dominance while partly under the influence of Loki's scepter. At the time it had raised Steve's hackles, and he'd firmly batted Tony's hand away. Maybe that's why Tony never touched Steve again outside of absolute necessity, even just to be playful. Steve established a clear no touching rule that day (and he regrets that a lot). Heck, it might be wishful thinking, but it's as if Tony sometimes almost closes the distance, before reigning in the impulse. As for Steve, when he risks casual contact he's either clumsy or his attempts are overthought. It's not surprising that Tony seems mostly confused about it.

Another thing that Tony does a lot, but usually not with Steve, is flirting. It's the Tony Stark™ brand, expected by all. It takes many forms, because of course Tony has perfected that facet of his personality to play up his 'playboy' self-descriptor. There is the pure PR act, that is so effective in galas and with the media, that most people eat right up. More rarely, the fake smiles and words that seems complimentary until, ten minutes later, the person wonders if they were insulted to their face, but cannot prove it. On the nice side of the spectrum, Tony used to smile adoringly at Pepper before they broke up, with an expression suggesting that there were a dozen reasons why she was the one for him. It was probably true.

But there is also the genuine quick witted banter Tony engages with mostly everyone on the team. Suggestive innuendo with Clint, just because they find it funny. Praise for Bruce ― and even Hulk ― for any reason. Calling Thor pet names that emphase how Tony finds him attractive. He makes Natasha smile with creative insults-slash-compliments. 

In contrast with Steve it always remains on the normal side of friendly: jokes that slightly tease but are never mean, and a collection of nicknames that derive either from Captain America, age, ice, or better a combination of those. No teasing propositions, no crude remarks to make him blush, no exaggerated fluttering of eyelashes to get his way, even as a joke. Their interactions are warm and friendly but just that, without the little spark that would make Steve's day. He'd say that, as with casual contact, he tried flirting himself, but that would be a lie. That shit is terrifying, and maybe when Steve has read a hundred romance novels he'll find the guts to do it. He's been lucky, since the serum, that interested people have made the first move on him. And they did, a lot, both before and after the ice. Being hit on is familiar, and from there Steve knows what to do: he'll play his part in the seduction game that more often than not ends up with sex. Sleeping with someone, giving them pleasure, that is easy. It's uncertain reciprocity ― especially with romantic feelings ― that trips him up. Especially with people he admires.

So this, now, Tony using deliberate extra touches, calling him gorgeous and treating him with a knowing smile and heated eyes? It's enough to make Steve freeze in shock. And, most of all, this is what Steve has been hoping for. A clear sign that maybe he has a shot.

Since waiting for a good time to ask someone out has given him nothing but grief all of his life, Steve decides that it's now or never. He will make his intentions clear right this moment, even if it's scary as hell. He knows that if he overthinks the situation, he will make up a million reasons why he shouldn't and then torture himself later for who knows how long.

It's with a knot in his gut and trepidation that ― when Tony finishes filing the three vials with his blood and applies pressure on the puncture with a square of gauze ― Steve covers Tony's hand with his own. Hoping he's not as flushed as he feels, he catches Tony's eyes.

"Um. Tony." Not a great start. Taking in a shallow breath he soldiers on. "I was wondering if you'd want to, maybe, go out with me sometime."

Okay, so that wasn't elegant, but it makes his point.

Tony's eyebrows rise. There is humor in his expression, but at least Steve can't feel any mockery. "Go out?"

The demand for clarification is fair enough, since they have never acted as anything more than friends. Steve could backtrack and make it sound like a regular outing ― no feelings involved! ― but he doesn't want to.

"A date, you and me. Maybe see a show or a movie, have dinner." God, Steve's heart is beating so hard he's afraid it will burst out of his rib cage.

The smile that blooms on Tony's face is gorgeous.

"Of course." As if Tony doesn't have to think about it at all, and it's just that easy.

It's like a rubber band snaps inside Steve, the relief of tension making everything but excitement evaporate. He grins right back, giddy.

"Yeah?"

Tony let's go of his arm to cup Steve's cheek, before sliding to the back of his neck. "I'd love it, beautiful. Tell me when and where and we'll make it happen. I'll show you a good time, I promise."

Oh, of that Steve is certain, and when Tony leans towards him it's with enthusiasm that he meets him for a kiss. He has dreamed of this, about the softness of Tony's lips and the tickling of his facial hair, and reality doesn't disappoint, not one second. Steve is surprised that Tony doesn't taste of coffee, of anything really, but that isn't important. There is nothing hesitant about the kiss, Tony quickly turning it into a claiming of Steve's mouth… who is more than happy to let him take the lead. It makes Steve light-headed, and he must looks dazed when Tony breaks the kiss.

"I can't wait for that date," Tony says. There is so much underlying subtext in the heat of his eyes and the way he bites his lower lip that Steve is tempted to invite him up to his room.

"Yes, me too." Unfortunately he has a commitment with the children's hospital tonight, but he's waited this long, one day won't kill him. "Meet me here at 6 tomorrow night?"

"That's perfect," Tony says with a wink, then closes his box with the blood samples. "Sadly, Bruce is waiting for me now," he adds with a playful little pout.

"It is a shame," Steve says, then dares kissing him again. It's addictive, no two ways about it. He can't believe that he can kiss Tony now; this is fantastic! He tries to take him into his arms, but Tony steps away, laughing.

"No distracting me, big guy!"

"Okay." It's hard to let go and Steve has to refrain from reaching for Tony again, hand twitching involuntarily ― all he wants is to keep him close, after wanting this for so long. But he can be resonnable: after all, the research is important. "Go do science, then." 

Tony's smile widens, and for a second there's a glint of something else, weirdly triumphant. It's gone as fast as it appears and Steve's too happy to make a big deal of it.

"I'll do just that. I'll probably be busy with this until late," he says, shaking his blue box, "but I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes. See you tomorrow!"

Steve watches him go to the elevator, besotted; it's always a nice view, and Tony's downright strutting which makes him smile. With a little wave and a wink ― playful, almost over the top ― Tony enters the lift and Steve punches the air in triumph. Oh, god, he asked Tony out and Tony said _yes_. Tony _kissed_ him. This is one of the best days of his life! He wants their first date to be great, so that it becomes one of many.

"JARVIS, what is playing at the movies these days that Tony might enjoy?" he asks, powering up his tablet. The AI must have suggestions about a good place to eat, too.

There is no answer, and Steve is about to ask again when the elevators opens and Tony strides out into the communal room again. Steve is instantly distracted, grinning wide. It's been thirty seconds and he missed him. Tony isn't smiling though, brows furrowed as he glances up at the ceiling, not even acknowledging Steve for some reason.

"Is everything alright?" Steve asks, perplexed. "Did you need more blood?"

Tony looks over at him, tilting his head to the side and looking just as confused as Steve feels. He doesn't have his samples box anymore and even lost his suit jacket.

"Blood?" There is genuine surprise in Tony's voice, as if Steve is talking nonsense, and the warm deameanor from earlier is gone too. In fact, Tony looks unnaturally tense, and his fingers are tapping the reactor, a clear sign that he's upset. 

A chill goes down Steve's spine: something is very wrong here.

"Like the blood you just took?" Steve says slowly, gesturing to the gauze and tape in the crook of his arm.

Eyes widening, Tony shakes his head. "What? Me? I just got out of a meeting with the PR people, and JARVIS is acting up. He isn't answering. JARVIS?"

The bottom drops out of Steve's stomach all at once. There is only one explanation he can think of: it has to have been a Skrull earlier. They've known about them for about three weeks, a briefing by Nick Fury himself, and Steve thought the Avengers Tower was safe. The aliens can shape shift to take any form they want, as long as they've been close to someone. They can even get their 'target' short time memory if they touch. As of two minutes ago, Steve hadn't quite believed that the mimicry could be that perfect.

The only reason Fury told them about the Skrulls is because he learned that a radicalized outcast group of them were planning something bad. Destabilizing the government and taking over bad. The Avengers had been _pissed_ that Fury had kept this information from them for years. It didn't count that the Skrulls he'd met in the 1990s were just refugees looking to escape war and the Kree (another piece of valuable intel they would have liked to have learned before). It is impossible for a whole species to be good, there can always be rogue elements ― heck, humans are a great example. And bad guys that can shape shift? Are a pain in the ass.

Thankfully, they have detectors that can differentiate Skrull from human, and Tony installed several in the tower. For sure JARVIS should have sounded the alarm as soon as a Skrull had entered the building. It had to be a Skrull! But if JARVIS is down, it could be that one slipped in and the earlier Tony wasn't really Tony at all.

"I thought it was you!" Steve exclaims and Tony's eyes widen with horrified realization; he visibly reached the same conclusion as Steve. "They just took the elevator down," Steve adds, leaping into action and going to push the button.

"Fuck!" Tony's on his phone, rapidly typing away. "Everything is blocked, what the hell? I can't even call the suit!"

Steve's first concern should be the massive security breach and that a Skrull is getting away with his blood. That is the real emergency. Instead his skin crawls at the idea he kissed an impostor. And then it's like a direct punch to the solar plexus when Steve realizes that Tony wasn't touching or flirting with him at all. Of course not ― that's not something Tony does ― how could Steve have been so stupid? He has no date with Tony, because it was just an act. That Skrull must be laughing themself silly as they go back to wherever they are going to 'do science'. It's probably something nefarious, like wanting to make a Super Skrull, as if the bastards aren't already extremely strong and fast, if Fury is to be believed.

During the thankfully short ride down Steve wrangles back his focus on how he needs to catch that Skrull. 

"They looked like me?" Tony asks, terse. He's not even glancing at Steve, fingers still flying on his phone.

"Exact copy. Same clothes. As far as I know, just the one." It was enough to fool him, Steve thinks bitterly.

Unfortunately, once in the lobby they see no one looking like Tony. On top of that, they learn that all the building's cameras are down, not just JARVIS. That does not please Tony at all, who takes the failure of his tech very personally. 

"I can't believe this!" Tony says between clenched teeth as he takes over a computer in the security booth. 

"I'll look outside," Steve says. 

Leaving Tony wrestle back the control of the tower, Steve jogs out of the building looking for their Skrull. They probably changed from Tony's shape to someone else to throw them off, but as far as Steve knows, the kit with the blood sample will stay the same. Unfortunately, he can't see the blue box anywhere. They had a good minute of a head start, if anything a car was waiting for them, or they took a cab or the subway. Cursing, Steve goes back inside after five fruitless minutes and Tony gestures for him to go to the private Avengers elevators.

"I've got JARVIS back, and the security systems are rebooting," Tony says, stepping in the lift with him. "You saw nothing outside?"

"Nothing. Or if I did, they'd changed and I had no idea."

"Shit," Tony says, raking his fingers through his hair. "I am so sorry."

Steve frowns. It's him who fucked up. "What for?"

"They outsmarted me, and now they have your blood!" Tony exclaims. "I need to go over JARVIS' code. I can't believe they found a way to bring him down like that."

"Clearly the fault is mine, Sir," JARVIS pipes up. It figures that Tony's most sentient creation feels guilt as strongly as its creator. "I started a thorough auto-diagnostic, but welcome all scrutiny to ensure the situation is under control and will not be replicated."

"We will fix this for sure," Tony says. "I called for an emergency meeting in the war room. We'll put Fury on video link."

The urgency in whatever message Tony sent must have been clear because when they reach their strategy room, all the others Avengers are sitting around the table and Fury's image is already floating in a hologram screen.

"Good," Tony says, striding in. He doesn't even sit, too keyed up. "As I said, at least one Skrull has breached the tower. And no, before you ask, I don't know how they did it yet."

"How do you know it was a Skrull? And what did they want?" Fury asks.

"Cap?" Tony asks, giving him the floor.

Frankly, this is goddamn embarrassing for Steve. He has to admit they fooled him, big time.

"Approximately twenty minutes ago, I was reading in the common room and a Skrull posing as Tony walked in, and asked me for blood to experiment on leucocytes."

"Blood?" Fury asks, leaning towards the camera. He doesn't look pleased, but that was a given.

"Yes, Sir. They took three vials," Steve admits. He sees in his peripheral vision that Tony and Bruce wince at each other.

"They looked like Tony?" Natasha asks.

"Looked, acted, and moved like Tony. The Skrull was even dressed as Tony is now, but with a jacket," Steve says.

"So not just a photostatic veil?" Natasha asks.

"No, impossible." Steve shakes his head; he got close enough to be sure it wasn't just an illusion.

"I must have crossed path with them, if they were dressed like me," Tony says. He's walking back and forth near the windows, still agitated.

"And your AI didn't catch their transformation on camera?" Fury asks.

"I went offline for a total of twenty-five minutes," JARVIS says. "No transformation of the sort happened before that time or I would have sounded the alarm, whether the Skrull detector itself had functioned or not. I am scanning the last fifteen minutes of footage recorded by all sensors before the blackout for suspicious activity, especially around Sir, and will proceed backwards if needed."

"You didn't find it weird that I asked for blood?" Tony asks. He glances Steve's way, but Tony's eyes skitter away immediately.

It's true that neither him nor Bruce have asked for blood in months. It made so little sense he'd do it now, notwithstanding the rest of the charade where Tony seemed happy to go on a date with him. Not Tony, no, he has to stop thinking like that. It was never him, and what Steve kissed was a green lizard-like alien.

"Cut him some slack, of course he gave you blood," Clint said.

Everyone but Tony either nods or does a face, as if it's indisputable fact.

"I asked why, but didn't even doubt the answer," Steve admits. It's humiliating.

"Well, as far as you knew it was Tony," Bruce says in his defense, which is true. "Did they do or say anything weird?"

Yes, Skrull-Tony was totally out of character by flirting with him, agreeing to go out and kissing him, but Steve can't bring himself to admit it. JARVIS was out of commission, there is no footage of how much of a fool he was, and it might be stupid but Steve can't abandon all pride and confess.

"Slightly," he lies through his teeth. "They didn't seem to recall that you and Tony already ran a test on my white blood cells, but I thought I'd understood wrong at the time, not that they were lying now. That is about it."

Natasha tilts her head, and Steve is certain for a second that she will call him on his bullshit. She stays quiet, though.

"They don't steal memories that go far back," Fury says. "Just short term."

"They stole enough," Tony grumbles.

He looks deeply unhappy still, mouth downturned. Steve understands, Tony must hate having been duplicated and then used against the team, even if it isn't his fault at all. He'd probably be madder if he knew everything else that happened. That Steve was presumptuous enough to believe Tony Stark would be interested in old plain Steve Rogers. Visibly, Tony wants nothing to do with him, he barely looked his way since they've entered the strategy room.

"It sucks, but I think what's more important is that the Skrull got Steve's blood, and how we'll find _them_", Bruce says.

"I know that!" Tony says, tone rising.

He's mad, and Steve feels like shit. "I should have been more cautious ―" he starts.

Finally Tony meets his eyes from across the room. He looks surprised, and his frown softens.

"Hey, no, it's not your fault. If a perfect copy of you asked me for something, I wouldn't think about it either, I'd do the same," Tony says.

Steve appreciates the sentiment, but he knows it's not true. Tony would not have been fooled, he's too smart for that. He would have seen the signs, noticed how the copy's action differed from the usual and remembered his place. In no way Tony would have asked an impostor out and kissed them, like a hopeful fool who believed that everything he ever wanted was dropping in his lap, out of the blue.

"Still," Steve manages to say, throat tight.

A nod, and as soon as their interaction is done Tony retreats in a defensive bubble. He takes a step back, even further away from Steve, and is looking at his phone, shoulders drawn tight.

"I need to go to the workshop, check on JARVIS," he says. "I need to find how the Skrull got in the tower in the first place."

"Keep us in the loop, Stark," Fury says.

Tony gives the hologram an annoyed look. "Oh, like you did with telling us about the Skrulls? If I'd known they existed more than a month ago, I would have had time to install better defenses."

He doesn't wait for the director's answer and storms off. Without even glancing at Steve.

Clint puts a hand on Steve's shoulder when the rest of the team files out, after closing the video feed.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it," he says. "You thought it was Tony."

As if of course, being Tony meant that Steve would trust him. And it's true, after all, that's exactly what happened. Well, part of it. Steve's pretty sure that the rest ― the personal stuff ― is totally on him.

**

JARVIS finds a lead roughly twenty minutes later, and they all reunite in the workshop after getting Tony's call to come down. The self-diagnostic about the AI's earlier deactivation isn't finished, but it will keep running while they track the thief. Even though the tower's security camera malfunctioned during the incident, JARVIS has successfully acquired footage from exterior cameras dating from the time the Skrull left the tower. From there, it took a fraction of a second for JARVIS to point out a man that has every appearance of Tony, with a small  
blue box under his arm.

"That's him, that's it," Steve says when Tony replays the footage for everyone. 

"Freaky. There's no difference," Clint says, squinting.

"You don't say," Tony snarks. He's looking at the footage with a moue of disgust. "JARVIS caught them going down into the subway at Grand Central while running the Milk Carton Protocol." Steve doesn't have time to ask questions about what the hell that protocol is, his attention is brought back to the screen. It's footage from another camera, grainier and in black and white, that shows the subway platform. "Thankfully, they were caught in those surveillance cameras, too. Check that out."

The Skrull reaches the subway's platform just as a train closes its door and leaves. When the passengers that get out of it clear off the platform, the Skrull walks around a column, out of sight of the security camera and probably any onlooker. When it comes back out again, it's as a blond woman in a summer dress. Steve would doubt it was the same being if it wasn't for the blue box, that the Skrull is now putting in a bag it pulls out of their pocket.

"Oh," Bruce breathes out for the lot of them. The transformation took less than ten seconds.

"Freaky," Clint says again.

"What now?" Fury asks.

"I had JARVIS scan through the MTA footage and follow the thing from that point. They switched for the F train at Bleecker Street, got out at York Street, then walked from there. We've got them entering a warehouse on Morris Avenue fifteen minutes ago."

Frankly, Steve is annoyed that they are in Brooklyn. It feels personal.

"They didn't change again?" Natasha asks.

"No," Tony says. "Continuous trace on the same woman. It's impossible that they'd cross paths with the original person that was duplicated from the passengers coming out in Grand Central, I found her. Karen Berg, she started her shift at 2beans at noon, been employed there for a year and a half." A screen showing footage of a traffic camera on the block pops up in the air near Tony, and they can see the blond woman wiping down a table near the front window. Now that he sees her in context, Steve thinks she might have sold him chocolate before. 

"You know, Tony, that JARVIS and you got all of that information in twenty minutes is freaky too," Clint remarks.

Tony rolls his eyes. "Please. Don't hate because we're awesome. As far as I can tell, the Skrull kept her appearance all the way to the warehouse."

"I believe it, they can be cocky son of bitches," Fury says. "Also it avoids the risk of being caught changing."

"Wasn't that too easy? Following them I mean," Bruce asks. "Could it be a trap?"

"I wondered too," Tony says, "but I think we're just spoiled by what JARVIS can do, when he works right." 

"They have Steve's blood," Natasha remarks. "I am pretty sure that was their objective, not setting a trap."

"You better get the blood back before they do something with it," Fury says.

He's right. 

"Everybody suit up, we're leaving in five," Steve says. "Tony, monitor all the cameras you can find that are around the warehouse, and make sure no one gets out."

"Already on it, and with my own satellites too."

Steve nods. "Great. I'll meet you on the landing pad in five, and you'll fly with me to this roof." Steve points to a brick building of a couple of stories high, on the other side of a lot jousting the warehouse. It will give them a good vantage point until the others arrive. "Clint, Bruce and Natasha, I want you to drive in and take position near the back entrance, and wait for my signal." 

"I usually don't criticize your strategies, Captain," Fury lies, "but you should go in all together instead of a pincer movement. As soon as the Skrulls are aware that you're in, they could impersonate any of you. I'll send agents to circle the perimeter, for anyone that gets out."

"Right," Steve admits. Jesus, he's totally off his game today; it's ridiculous. "We all get in through the back door, then, and SHIELD agents should stay a block away until the operation is underway not to be too conspicuous. Tony, do we have portable Skrull detectors?"

"Only through the armor, I just started playing with that tech. But it should be fine if we stick together, I can scan for impostors."

"That's it then," Steve says. "Let's get there as fast as possible. First objective is to get the samples back, or alternately destroy whatever experiment they're cooking. Second ― is to not let any of the Skrulls escape, I want them incapacitated and in custody at the end of the raid."

"Copy that. I'll take my stun arrows," Clint says. 

After a series of 'got it', they split up to get suited up, leaving Tony in his workshop staring at a screen where text keeps on scrolling; he must still be looking for what incapacitated JARVIS. It should occupy him for the time Steve changes into his uniform. 

**

Normal bad guys using warehouses usually have a crude set up. These skulls? Not so much. There was minimal surveillance on the back door, and Tony quickly disabled cameras while Natasha took care of the guard once Clint stunned him. They need science support on this mission, so Bruce is following from a couple of steps back… but of course the Hulk is never very far if necessary. It's unfortunate that Thor is off world, they could have used his help.

When they enter the building, they find that the large interior has been totally repurposed into closed offices and labs. It's a shame, as open space in warehouses often helps to rapidly spot where to strike. Since they won't risk splitting up on Fury's advice, clearing the rooms to find where they could be experimenting with Steve's blood is slow going. On top, Tony says that the walls must be reinforced, because the armor's sensors are practically useless to scan the rooms to come.

They go through five generic offices before they see the first person: she freezes after rounding the corner to find four Avengers in uniform and Bruce in civvies before her. Clint reacts fast and shoots the tall woman in a pencil skirt with a tranquilizer dart, but unfortunately she manages to let out a resonating animalistic cry first that does more to identify her as an alien than Tony's sharp "Skrull" warning. Two seconds later the room's lights start flashing red and there is a loud alarm resonating through the building.

"Shit," Steve curses. 

"Go, go, go," Iron Man says, power walking forward. "Let's find the thief before they escape!"

They're pushing through a set of doors that Tony breaks open with his repulsors when they meet resistance. Five Skrulls are waiting for them with blasters of some kind. Steve puts up his shield and deflects a shot into the ground, then charges. Staying at a distance is always a disadvantage against weapons, and getting close in the first seconds of an altercation at least gives him the bonus of surprise. He is fast; they don't expect it. He kicks the blaster from a Skrull's hand, and immediately ducks. A good choice, as he barely avoids getting shot by a pre-teen girl with a sneer. Not real, he tells himself. They are lizards, aliens. He can't let the appearances of the opponents bother him. Steve punches the girl in the face hard enough to drop her without missing a beat. Everything is moving fast, and there's not much time to spare to check on his teammates. From what he hears and sees, though, they are holding their own.

Fury's description of the Skrulls being extremely strong and fast is not an understatement: Steve has a tough time keeping up at hand to hand combat with the two he's closest with. They hit hard, and roll with his punches with ease. Things get even harder when the Skrull to his right, that first presented as a short Chinese man, morphs to become a copy of Steve himself, uniform included. Like they inferred by the footage on the subway, it takes less than ten seconds. What the video hadn't captured, though, is how disturbing it is to see a man basically melt only to shape back into you. Steve figures that hitting them when they are changing could be strategic, when they're more vulnerable, but he misses his chance because he's too caught up fighting the second Skrull. Once complete, his double sneers and comes directly for him. It's clear that they absorbed his fighting style too, and are way too good at blocking Steve's attacks. Not only that, they are landing severe blows to his body that hurt like a bitch.

"Tony, which is the real Cap?" He hears Clint yell. 

"Shit! The one on your right Clint!" Iron Man replies.

It's with relief that the double goes down with a stun arrow in the neck.

"Thanks Hawkeye," Steve says, and, having a second to breathe, takes account of their situation. The five Skrulls of the first wave are all on the ground, and Natasha and Bruce ― who is greenish, but held on ― are putting special restraining cuffs on them that according to Fury block all transformation.

"The walls are thinner here. JARVIS detects at least a dozen of their heat signatures in the next room, they're waiting for us," Tony says. "I think it's the main lab area, with what the sensors can get through the walls."

Five were hard enough, more than double that will be a real problem. At least they are probably nearing their goal, but they have to act fast to prevent the Skrulls' escape with the blood. The alarm has been sounding for a good five minutes now, Steve hopes they are not already gone. And that if they did try to run, that the SHIELD agents got them.

"Iron Man, as soon as we go in together, you scan the Skrulls and keep count.," Steve orders. "Hawkeye right after me. We'll take down as many Skrull as we can as fast as possible. Widow I want you and Bruce to focus on whatever experiment is going on. We'll move as a group in the direction you call. I'll provide support where needed most. Remember, we stay together so they don't slip in and change into us."

"Which was extra creepy. Made me shoot Captain America, too, I feel like a traitor," Clint pipes up.

"Yeah," Steve agrees. God, he kissed one of those things. The thought and sick feeling that comes with it is sudden and strong, but Steve immediately pushes it away. It's not the time to think about that, there is a fight to win. 

Orders acknowledged by all, Steve points at the door and Tony blasts it off its hinges and they push through. What follows is a confusing mess: the dozen or more Skrulls are all shifted, a mix of all the present Avengers, and even a not so bad Thor. There are at least three of himself, though the uniforms aren't as perfect as what he saw in the other room. The Chinese-guy-turned-Captain-America had touched him, though, and these either worked from cams or old footage of the Avengers. As soon as they are in the room, Steve can see slight changes as their opponents perfect their impersonation. There is also an ambitious fake Iron Man, though it doesn't move as gracefully as Tony. 

Clint rapidly stuns several skulls, while Tony does quite a number on at least five of them with small guided missiles. Meanwhile Nat is urging them to move towards the right side of the lab. Steve sees the science equipment there, and the telltale blue box on a lab bench that make his pulse skip. It's opened, the vials gone, but there's red in a tube feeding a complicated machine; that must be it. Steve is about to throw his shield at the experiment when the fake Iron Man charges the real armor, making Tony stumble backwards, out of sight into a small side room. It's a total distraction, especially when Tony curses.

Steve tries to get rid of a Nat with hair that is slightly too pale ― and with way too much hate on her face ― to go help Tony, but it's slow going. He might rationalize that the girl isn't his friend, it's still unsettling to fight her with the intent to incapacitate. Way harder than when it was a copy of himself. A well aimed shield hit under her jaw lays her out, and Steve's finally making headway to go after Tony, when JARVIS takes over comms. 

"Warning, I am compromised!"

"Shit shit shit," Tony says while Steve's stomach drops, especially since the door to the room shuts tight, followed by the unmistakable sound of a heavy deadbolt.

"Tony, status!" Steve cries out, hitting on reinforced steel. There is no visible lock, and the shield only dents the door. There is no answer, either, comms dead.

Behind him, there's the sudden roar of the Hulk, making Steve pivot. Clearly Banner couldn't keep calm, which he understands totally. Hulk is wiping the floor with a fake Clint and Natasha ― at least Steve hopes it is! ― until he's reassured by spotting what he assumes are his real teammates behind his broad green back. Nat is zapping the experiment, and Clint releasing arrows after arrows at the few Skrulls still standing. He doesn't even hesitate when taking down the last of them, a Captain America that is directly to Steve's left.

"Thanks," Steve says. That copy looked pretty good, but they don't name Clint Hawkeye for nothing. "Didn't move right?"

"No," Clint says, lowering his bow, an arrow still notched. "A Skrull wouldn't be worried about Tony. Need me to zap the door, see if it unlocks?"

Fuck, yes, Tony's alone with a Skrull in there, with a malfunctioning armor too. "Please!" 

He steps away, as one of the fancy tech arrows thankfully takes care of the locking mechanism. A good kick then does the door in, and the scene that greets them is surreal. The Iron Man armor is standing opened near a wall, and two identical Tonys in flight suits are circling each other in the defensive combat pose Tony always uses in training.

"Thank god," the Tony to the right says. "Take him out."

"What? Fuck no, he's the Skrull!" the second Tony says, sounding and looking exactly right too.

"The fucker managed to disable JARVIS again," Tony One says, gesturing to the armor. "Scanner's useless right now, but you've got to believe me."

Clint turns his arrow towards Tony Two, who raises his hands. "Hold the fuck up, he touched me, knows everything I do. I'm telling you, he's the Skrull."

"Jesus," Natasha says, while the Hulk growls deeply. Frankly, Steve is at a loss, too. It's disenheartening that he doesn't _know_ immediately. In all the romance novels Steve has read, the heroine is supposed to know the hero, especially when kissing him… and he didn't, not even then. 

"Clint, if you are to say 'freaky' right now, I'm going to blast you in the face as soon as the armor is back online," Tony Two adds. 

The crack makes Clint point his arrow at Tony One, whose eyes widen in panic. "No, no, no, it's even stealing my jokes!"

"I have no idea Cap," Clint admits.

Steve has no idea either.

"Come on, Steve," Tony One cajoles. "You know it's me, you know me. I care about you, so much, you know I do."

As much as Steve longs for those words to be true, it's too close to the deception the other Skrull used to distract him while stealing his blood. Heck, this could be the same individual who knows Steve is besotted and wants Tony. He's blatantly using his feelings to sway him and get out of this tricky situation, it's so obvious. All afternoon, as they looked for the thief, the real Tony was distant and couldn't even look at him. Certain that he's identified the impostor, Steve throws his shield at Tony One's head, who drops to the floor, unconscious.

"Shit!" Tony Two exclaims. He's pale, one hand gripping at the arc reactor. "Good thing you got it right, that could have killed me!"

"How do we know he really got it right?" Natasha asks, head tilting while squinting at Tony Two with suspicion. 

Steve is overcome with a feeling of dread. What if he got it wrong? Did he just hurt Tony? 

"Cuff us both, then use the detector later!" Tony Two exclaims, hands now pulling his hair. "It isn't so hard!"

Shit, it seems so obvious that it makes Steve angry. "Why didn't you just say that earlier!" he exclaims. He visibly got it right, this is the real Tony, but what if Steve had gotten it wrong and bashed in his skull?

"I am sorry, I was freaking out!" Tony says, going to the armor. "Dammit, they got to me in the suit, I can't believe it."

"I think we should cuff him anyway," Clint says slowly.

Tony pivots, looking betrayed. "What?"

"Just in case?" Clint says with a wince. "Sorry man."

The worst is that it's true, and even though he hates the idea, Steve is reassured when Tony rolls his eyes and willingly goes to Natasha, arms extended.

"Jesus, I hate this. I hate Skrulls and I want to stay right here with the armor until someone brings a fucking detector to clear me," he spits out. Steve has never seen him so furious.

"Sorry," Natasha says as she closes the special bracelets around Tony's wrists. "I am 99% sure it's really you."

"Ah. And what about that 1%, huh?" Tony snarks. "Can't blame you all for making sure, but I hate it."

"We'll all put on handcuffs and get scanned," Steve says, hopeful that Tony sees it as the apology it is. Nat and Clint nod their ascent and it does make Tony's shoulder relax a bit.

"Hulk smash?"

Steve pivots to see Hulk near the machine processing his blood, big fists ready to strike. Fortunately Tony slips by him, through the door, and hurries to the big guy, calming him down with his extended bound hands.

"No, no, wait a second. Thanks for asking, Jolly Green, but it would be best to know what they wanted to do, first. Okay?"

That's definitely Tony. No Skrull would be brave enough ― even with Tony's memories ― to get in between the machine and a Hulk in a mood to smash.

Steve opens an outside line of comms. "Fury, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear, Captain. What's the status?"

"Mission accomplished. We need transport for nineteen Skrulls, but also for someone with a detector to come here ASAP, just to confirm that everyone is who we think they are. And technicians for the experiment."

"The blood samples are there?" Fury asks.

"Yes." Hopefully all of them, Steve thinks to himself.

"Copy that. Backup has already been deployed on surrounding streets as planned, I'll send them in."

Nat secures all of their hands as soon as the Skrulls are all cuffed and in custody of SHIELD, and they settle to wait for this interminable and miserable day to end.

***

Shape shifting aliens were a shock, yes, but they deal with weird situations on the regular. Life should go back to normal, once it's all over.

It doesn't, at least not for Steve and visibly not for Tony either.

Before that disastrous afternoon, Steve had tried to make peace with having a one-sided crush on Tony. At times, it felt almost comfortable, loving him from afar without taking a chance for more. After all, for all he knew Tony didn't reciprocate ― with the way he avoided touching or flirting with Steve ― they were still friends. They had worked on getting to know each other better, and they'd been getting closer, slowly but surely. Steve honestly cherished what little time they spent together, even though he longed for more. Maybe in time, Tony would like him back. He didn't now, but, who knew, one day… 

For a couple of minutes, the Skrull impostor gave Steve exactly what he dreamed about. A Tony who saw him and was interested. It had felt so _real_, so good. But it was not ― simply a deception. And even though it was all a lie, having that pure happiness yanked away hurt Steve deeply. 

Like pressing on a bruise, Steve replays each second with the Skrull over and over again. Not the kisses, that is too heartbreaking to revisit, but everything else. With insight, it is so obvious that it wasn't the real Tony. Steve should have asked more question, for one. Why didn't he notice that Tony was acting more like his public persona than the man he knew? Steve's theory is that the Skrull must have only taken Tony's shape from afar: that's why it hit on Steve. No way the real Tony would be interested in him at all, and the Skrull would have known that with a simple touch. 

Plus there is the humiliation of having been so easily deceived in the first place. Steve is convinced that the whole team knows clear as day how gone he is on Tony, just by how effortlessly he was fooled. Heck, Tony must have cottoned to it too because it's been a week since the whole shit-show and Steve hasn't seen him, at all, when they usually at least cross paths here and there. That level of avoidance necessitates planning and the active aid of JARVIS, at the very least.

Steve has lost it all. The dream that never was, the five minutes or so of pure joy, the comfortable companionship he had built with Tony, and he now has to grieve the wish of growing closer, too. How can he, in good conscience, continue to daydream about a relationship with Tony when the man is so uncomfortable in his company that he all but disappeared? That, he thinks, is what hurts Steve the most. He misses him, and he thought that if Tony was to turn him down, they'd at least stay friends. His one hope is that maybe Tony just needs a little time to get used to the idea of Steve's feelings. 

Steve has picked up 'The Consultant Count' again, but he can’t seem to concentrate on the story. His thoughts circle around and around, and he keeps having to read the same paragraphs as they just don’t register. At least it’s a nice day and Steve is sprawled in his favorite chair next to the kitchen ― the one directly in the morning sunshine ― when Tony walks in with determination. He hasn't seen Steve, too focused on getting a mug of coffee and Steve can't help but stare. God he's beautiful, decked in a light gray three-piece suit and groomed to perfection. It's tempting to stay silent and look his fill, but he forces words out. All he wants is to get back to a semblance of normal. 

"Hey," Steve says quietly, but it nonetheless makes Tony startle like a skittish cat. He turns towards Steve with wide eyes and it's disheartening to see how cornered he looks for a second. Nonetheless, Steve does his best to make conversation. "Important meeting?"

"Yeah," Tony says, eye skidding away as he busies himself with pouring his coffee. "I've blown one too many of them, in fact, and Pepper's making me pay today. I've been informed that I had to go to SI today, 'or else'." Tony huffs, then takes a big sip of his coffee even if must be scalding, recently out of the pot like that. "Since I like my feet unpunctured by stilettos and all of my organs inside my body, I'm going to SI."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it, and won't injure you... too much," Steve says, trying for levity. 

It works, as Tony finally turns around to lean against the counter and gives him a small smile. "I sure hope so. What she should realize is that yes, not showing up for a week threw several wrenches in her perfectly organized schedule. But if she maims or kills me it's going to be even worse."

"True. A week? How did you even manage to dodge her for that long?" Tony usually goes to SI every day ― it's not like it's far, only a couple of floors down. If he skips, it’s two or three days, at the most, and generally because of a mission.

Tony winces. "I might have been in total blackout until yesterday morning, then crashed for twenty hours."

Oh, Tony had been in his workshop all of that time? Steve is concerned, but the blackout explains why he hasn't seen him at all. Maybe he wasn't avoiding Steve, after all, or at least not actively, which is great news.

"That's a long time working," he says by rote, though Tony clearly decodes that it's not meant as a reproach.

"Yeah? But I _had_ to. Couldn't risk taking the suit out if it could be shut off.”

That indeed had been very dangerous. Of course Tony made it a priority, and wouldn’t stop working on it until the problem was solved.

“I suppose it’s all fixed now?”

Tony’s jaw tightens. “Yes, no need to bench me.”

“I wouldn’t… I trust you to know what’s best, Tony. If you say it’s fixed, I believe you.”

“Good. I tightened the firewalls, the flaw is corrected and JARVIS should be able to detect any other tempering effort.” Tony gulps down the rest of his mug, then refills it. “I’ve got to go before Pepper comes and gets me herself.”

“Okay, have a good day.”

Tony scrunches his nose. “A day of meeting isn’t what I’d call a good day, but thanks.”

With that and a small smile, Tony leaves Steve feeling a little better in his patch of sunshine. He was worrying for nothing on the avoidance, and they should be fine. On the other hand, he'll have to keep watch on Tony to make sure he got over the whole incident too, and doesn't beat himself up about it too much. Nonetheless, tt’s with a lighter heart that Steve goes back to Alicia's adventures.

***

Unfortunately, if Tony wasn’t avoiding him before because he was in his lab the whole time, he is doing it now. Not pure avoidance or leaving a room if Steve is there, but Tony rarely engages in conversation with him anymore, or even looks his way if he doesn’t have to. He still flirts, touches and jokes with everyone else, but Tony’s totally subdued every time he interacts with Steve. It’s heartbreaking and Steve doesn’t know what to do to make it better. 

When Tony leaves instead of sitting down to watch Mythbuster with him as he used to, Steve sighs, discomfited. It seemed like a good plan, he’d asked JARVIS to queue it up because he knew Tony was coming to eat. If he can’t get him to stick around when explosions are to be critiqued, he has no idea what to do.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Natasha says.

“What?” Steve says, even though he perfectly knows she’s commenting on his abject pining.

“Don’t make me list all the ways you and Tony are both being even more idiotic than usual,” she says, getting up. “And that’s saying something. Talk to each other, for God’s sake!”

She is right, of course. 

That night, Steve comes to the conclusion that he needs to lay all of his cards on the table. If he explains to Tony that he knows and accepts that they will never be more than friends, that how they used to be before the Skrulls is more than enough, maybe Tony will relax around him again. Steve has been propositioned by people he wasn’t interested in a few times, and he knows how uncomfortable it is. There’s definite secondhand embarrassment at play, no matter how much you tell the person that everything is alright and how flattering it is. 

It’s even worse when it’s someone you appreciate as a friend, but don’t see like _that_. And yes, he’s been told by the people he turned down that it was fine, and he wanted to believe that even though he knew it wasn’t, not really. After all, he’s been the rejected party quite a bit, before the serum. But awkwardness aside, it’s worth a shot. Being who and what he is, Tony must dance those steps quite often.

He’s been psyching himself for that talk all night and while getting ready in the morning, like a battle plan. He’ll be calm, reign in the emotions, and try to make it light if he can. He won’t corner Tony in his workshop or something like that, but start the conversation when they cross paths normally. Of course, he’s not surprised that as soon as sees Tony, meeting him in the gym’s doorway, he forgets all of that.

“We need to talk,” he blurts out.

He’d be appalled, but it so happens that Tony said it at the exact same time and they stare at each other in surprise. Tony is the first to react, with a small laugh that is not amused at all, in fact slightly hysterical.

“Oh God.”

Somehow, knowing Tony is just as nervous as he is calms Steve down slightly. They shuffle in the doorway and Steve inclines his head to go in, leading the way. The gym is empty at the moment, and it’s as good a place as any. Steve walks to the floor mats before he takes a deep breath and turns around. Tony visibly just finished a workout, flushed and slightly sweaty, looking great in his old sweatpants and a threadbare t-shirt. Steve’s got it real bad and he knows it.

“I’m sorry that I’ve made this awkward,” Steve says, gesturing between them. 

Tony slightly tips his head to the side, brows furrowing. “That _you_ made this awkward?”

“Well yeah. You’re visibly uncomfortable.”

It earns him a shake of the head. “I’ve stayed out of your hair because _you_ must not want to be around me for a bit,” Tony says, sounding so sure of himself.

“No?” That’s the silliest thing that Steve has ever heard. 

“Steve,” Tony says, looking at him in the eyes. “A Skrull confessed my feeling for you and you immediately threw your shield at its head.”

“No! I was sure it made that up!” Tony genuinely has feeling for him? It seems as if that’s what he just said. “I thought the Skrull used _my_ feelings. What it learned about when it took the blood.”

“What feelings?” Tony asks, sounding totally lost. He's unnaturally still and staring at Steve with widened eyes. “What the hell happened?”

It looks as if Steve has to come clean, as embarrassing as it is. 

“When the Skrull came to me, looking like you, it flirted with me.”

Tony nods. “It was trying to pass as me.”

“I should have known then it wasn’t you, because you never do,” Steve blurts out without really meaning to, and it ends up sounding mulish.

“You’d like that?” Tony asks, eyebrows climbing on his forehead in surprise.

Steve decides to go all out, since apparently the Skrull in the warehouse was telling the truth about Tony, in saying Tony cared about him.

“Well yeah. So since they flirted, and looked interested, I asked them out.”

Tony’s jaw drops. “What!”

“They agreed,” Steve continues, testing the waters obliquely.

“Of course,” Tony says with a dismissive gesture. “They're not dumb.”

Heart beating fast, Steve decides to try his luck. “Really? Does that mean that if I asked you ― the real you ― out, you’d agree?”

“Duh!” Tony says, and there’s a light in his eyes and a tick upwards of his mouth that makes Steve’s spirit soar.

That is it, right? It means that Tony would want to go on a date, with him, so Steve gathers his courage. "I was wondering if you'd want to, maybe, go out with me sometime." It isn’t easier the second time around, even with a good chance of success. He immediately tacks on the follow through, "A date, you and me. Maybe see a show or a movie, have dinner." 

His palms are sweaty and he wonders if the serum is failing him because it's like having arrhythmia all over again.

He doesn’t want to think about the debacle with the Skrull, but it’s inevitable that Steve notes the difference between now and then. The real Tony’s reaction is a lot more subdued, less confident, but feels so much more genuine. He smiles with a happiness that is colored by a quiet sense of wonder.

“I would be delighted,” he says.

Steve smiles back. “Awesome. Are you free tonight?” He’s not wasting another day, if he can. 

"I do have meetings, still making it up to Pepper, but yes, tonight. Absolutely,” Tony says. There is a nervousness in his posture, as he doesn’t quite know what to do now that they are moving the pieces on the board to go from friends to more. It is huge, and as far as Steve can infer, they’ve both wanted it for some time. 

It’s tempting to walk to Tony and test if he fits as well into Steve’s arms as the Skrull deception promised. But he can wait for that part, see how it happens on their date. He knows it's going to be great. 

“Common room at six?” Steve asks.

Tony grins, and it’s beautiful. “It’s a date.”

***

They've actually done it, gone on a date, and, as the elevator rises in the tower, Steve is torn between feeling amazing from their evening and being tied into knots about ending it on the perfect note. That said, he's trying to behave, to be a considerate person with reasonable expectations, he really is. He’s keeping a six inches distance minimum from Tony, because if he gets too close, he’s going to lose all reservation and jump him. Steve has planned to end their first date with a kiss and nothing else, unless Tony makes a move for more. Steve is committed to this, to make their relationship work, and he has a feeling that being reserved and traditional up until now is pleasing Tony, in fact. Steve can't assume that they'll take it further than the tradiional kiss, and that's perfectly fine. 

Their date, purposely not romance-novel extravagant, was a total success, in his humble opinion. Not that he has a lot to compare it too, but still. That afternoon Steve had obsessively planned their schedule to the minute ― internet, so helpful ― and it worked like a charm. 

He took Tony to see The Lego Movie but frankly Steve barely knows what happened in it. All through the movie, he kept sneaking looks at Tony’s profile, illuminated by the screen and lost a lot the jokes just marveling at how gorgeous he was for minutes at a time. Especially when he laughed, and Tony would look over to see if Steve was enjoying himself too and he’d grin just because. From what he gathered there were a lot of references to pop culture he wouldn't have understood anyway, that is for sure, but that's not important. Tony loved it. Also Steve was busy getting butterflies in his stomach every time their hands met in the popcorn, which was totally distracting. 

They left the theatre talking about the rightness of Morgan Freeman playing God, and Steve chickened out of holding Tony’s hand because they got recognized. He could have, still, it would have been a statement even to Tony, but he didn’t want to share this with the world, not right now. It was fine though, because they walked close enough to each other to bump elbows once in a while, hands sometimes brushing, and every contact made anticipation build in Steve’s gut. Was it the same thrill for Tony? He hopes so. Maybe Tony would have liked proper hand holding, though. Steve will have to ask him, see what he thinks about going public. 

Steve was very pleased at the happy surprise on Tony’s face when he took him to the first place they had lunch together ― no team ― not long after the Battle of New York. At the time Tony had said it was his favorite Greek restaurant, that he wanted to share with Steve, and it has become one of their regular hanging out place. When planning their date, Steve wondered if he should go for a new restaurant, maybe something fancy, but it turned out to be perfect it its familiarity. More easy conversation, a shared bottle of wine that seemed to settle Tony’s nerves a little, and they’d walked back to the tower with a stop to get a cup of gelato. 

Steve finished his black cherry scoop on the walk over, getting rid of the cup in the lobby’s recycling bin, but Tony’s taking his time. The way he’s sucking on the little spoon after each bite ― taking time to enjoy the taste ― is entirely distracting. So much that it takes Steve way too long to realize that Tony is teasing him. His eyes are drawn to Tony’s lips ― again ― when he notes a fleeting smirk, there and gone again. He quickly looks up and there’s mischief in Tony’s eyes. He knows that Steve just caught on and immediately grins, unrepentant. 

“That’s not fair,” Steve blurts out, without really meaning to. 

Tony laughs, especially when Steve throws his plan of restraint out of the window and moves right in front of him, in the corner of the elevator. They are still half a foot apart, but face to face now, instead of side to side. Steve wants to touch him more than anything.

“Unfair? I’m just eating my dessert.” 

“It is not just that and you know it,” Steve accuses him with a playful pout that makes Tony grin. 

He tries to take another bite, to be a little shit, but Steve catches his wrist and redirects Tony's spoon to his own mouth. The citrus flavour of the sorbet Tony chose explodes on Steve’s tongue, fresh and sharp. What is even better is the way Tony’s pupils dilate when Steve mimics the way he’s been sucking on the spoon. 

“I concede your point,” Tony says, eyes leaving Steve’s mouth to meet his again. 

“I had it all planned.” Steve lets Tony’s wrist go and his hands finds their way to his hips instead. He resists the impulse to pull Tony close, just keeps a light contact. "I would go for just one kiss, and say goodnight."

Tony raises his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah," Steve breathes out. They lean towards each other but Steve deliberately avoids Tony's mouth to brush his lips against his cheek. It's not even a kiss, only feeling the soft skin right above the goatee, until he reaches Tony's ear. "Only the one. I would have been good," he murmurs. It's exhilarating to feel Tony shiver, either because of his words or the tickling of his breath. 

"Geez," Tony says, dropping his sorbet to the floor, grabbing the lapels of Steve's jacket and finally closing the distance between them. He's hot and solid against Steve's chest. "This is good, you're being very good."

Steve allows himself a first kiss to the skin of Tony's neck. God, he smells fantastic too.

"I wanted to take my time. Treat you right."

Tony lets out a breathless little laugh. "Steve, darling, there's no need for that. I'm a sure thing."

He loves the endearment, but Steve really hates that Tony thinks of himself like that. He should go back to his previous plan of just one kiss, this is not right. He starts to pull away but Tony stops him by looping his arms around Steve's neck.

"Hey, hey, no," Tony protests, hanging on to him, his big brown eyes pleading. "What I'm saying is… Don't you think." He pauses, starts again. "We've taken plenty of time in getting here, no? Like this? I've wanted you for so long." 

It's true, of course, but Steve is convinced that Tony also meant what he said in the derogatory way. 

"Going slow… it wouldn't be because I don't want you," Steve tries to explain. "On the contrary."

"And that is very sweet," Tony says with a soft smile, raising his hand to gently press on Steve's forehead. Probably a crease and Steve forces himself to let the frown go, which widens Tony's smile. "There you go, beautiful. I appreciate the sentiment, I really do. And if you want to go slow, that's fine. I'll go on as many dates as you want before we go further than a kiss. But only if it's for you, not for me. I'm sure of what I want, and that is you. I don't need to wait."

Frankly, it's not a hard sell: Steve doesn't really want to wait either. Especially with having Tony in his arms... letting him go is the last thing he wants.

"Okay," he agrees, tightening his arms around Tony's body. He can't believe he gets to do that, and soon even more. "I want you too, so much."

"Yeah? Are you sure? I _would_ wait for you, there is no pressure here." Tony looks worried and it's very cute.

"Tony, I spent all evening talking myself down from fantasies of dragging you to a mostly private spot and have my way with you," Steve says, caging Tony against the wall. God he wants to kiss him. It's an exercise of will to refrain and he can barely look away from Tony's mouth.

Tony grins, delighted. "Oh really?" 

No better answer than action, at this point. Steve cups Tony's face in his hands and finally gives in. He is gentle at first, a soft brush of lips, and Tony answers in kind. One closed-mouthed kiss turns into two, three, five, all delicate, slow and full of tenderness. It's everything, filling Steve's core with warmth and a fierce sense of joy. As he learns the softness and shape of Tony's lips, Steve realizes that he's been given total control of the pace. Tony is far from passive though, kissing back sweetly, and it makes Steve want him even more for it. 

Steve ups the intensity, capturing Tony's lower lip between his teeth, and is rewarded with a beautiful gasp. It gives Steve the opening to deepen the kiss, and as soon as their tongues meet all restraint goes out of the window. It's hot, wet and deep, and Tony groans in a way that dials Steve's arousal to eleven. In an ideal world the whole incident with the Skrull posing as Tony would be scrubbed from Steve's mind; it's not, but at least the experience is drastically different. The Skrull kissed like a conquest, Tony gives as much as he takes. 

"Oh god," Steve breathes out when they separate for a second to breathe, then immediately dives back for more. He pushes one of his thigh between Tony's own, pinning him even more solidly against the elevator's wall. It's a thrill to feel Tony as hard as he is, and even more when Tony grinds down on him.

"Fuck, Steve, come on!" Tony urges. 

He pulls at Steve's shirt, immediately slipping his hands under when he has an opening, caressing his flanks. Steve experiences a full body shiver and he's tempted to do the same, strip Tony to get to skin, finally. He wants to touch him all over, so much, but if he abandoned his plan of going slow, that doesn't mean that they need to rush things. 

"Tony, Tony, wait," he says, trying to step back.

"Noooo," Tony whines, as he embraces Steve around his middle to keep him close. "Don't stop!"

It makes Steve huff in amusement, kiss Tony's neck. "I don't want to stop, but we're still in the elevator."

They probably reached the common floor that Steve had asked for when they got in, suggesting a last drink to stretch out the date, a good five minutes ago.

"JARVIS wouldn't let the door open, it's safe," Tony argues.

"Maybe so, but―"

"Totally so," Tony insists as he starts working on Steve's belt. Oh god.

"Tony, please, I just want us to get to a bed." And he doesn't want to leave it until they've had their fill. "You'll appreciate it when I'm done with you," Steve says, groping at Tony's fantastic ass. They haven't talked about what they prefer, but Steve is versatile, he'll adapt.

The boldness of Steve's statement makes Tony pause in surprise and look up at him with widened eyes, that rapidly changes into a delighed grin. "That sounds promising. Okay, fair enough, let's go."

Behind Steve the elevator door opens, at Tony's floor already. He's more than happy to let himself be pushed and pulled, still kissing, but now undressing each other as they haltingly make their way towards the bedroom.

When Tony's backed up right at the edge of the big bed, he lets himself fall back on it, then scuttles back towards the headboard. He pushes a ton of pillows to one side of the bed to make himself a space to lounge back, looking at Steve with heated eyes. Tony had gotten rid of most of his clothes on the way to the bedroom, but finishes taking off his socks, leaving him in tight red boxer shorts that mold his erection like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Distracted, Steve pauses to take him in. God he's gorgeous, built with clear wiry strength, and the scars on his chest only showcase how resilient Tony is. 

"Come on baby," Tony says with an amused smile. "Don't you want to fuck me?"

"Yes," Steve says fervently, stripping completely and then climbing on the bed and crawling until he's between Tony's legs and leans down to kiss him again. 

He wants. He wants so much, at this point it's all he can think about.

"God, yes," Tony breathes out when Steve grinds down, hard cocks only separated by the soft material of Tony's underwear. It's good, so very good, and he groans when Tony pinches his nipples. "You like that?"

"Yeah." Steve has a feeling he'll love anything Tony chooses to do. 

"You're so hot," Tony says, cupping his pecs, then dragging his nail lightly down to Steve's sides. It's a riot of sensations, building the tension up and up. He makes an embarrassing sound when Tony curls his hand around Steve's dick, somehow surprised by it. "Big all over huh," Tony says biting his own bottom lip.

"If it's too much―" Steve starts before he's interrupted.

"Didn't say that. You know I love challenges!" Tony says with a wink.

Steve snorts a laugh. "You would. But I just want to say that I enjoy catching too."

"Great to hear," Tony says. "Let's put that on the 'to do' list. To do: Steve. Sounds fantastic."

"There's a list?" Steve says with a smile. "I have suggestions."

For one, he can't wait to worship Tony's ass by rimming him until he begs to be fucked. It's been a fantasy of his for months, pretty much since he let himself fully appreciate how fantastic that rear end looks.Tonight isn't about that, though. Not yet. He's too keyed up, for one.

"Oh, sweetheart, I can't wait to hear them. Now why don't we get to the first on mine, before the main event?" Tony says.

"Anything." Fulfilling one of Tony's fantasy? He's so ready.

"Come on, I want to blow you." Tony is pushing him up, urging Steve to move towards the headboard.

"What a great coincidence," Steve manages to say, even though his breath is coming short just thinking about the offer. "Getting your mouth on me is pretty high on my own list."

Jesus, and ain't that an understatement. He scoots up until he's straddling Tony's chest, fascinated by the raw hunger on Tony's face as he grabs Steve's erection to guide it to his mouth. Steve needs to hold the headboard for support when the first thing Tony does is suck the head of his cock in like a big lollipop. 

"Oh, fuck!"

Of course Tony would be cheeky even during sex. He pulls off to say, "that's later, keep with the program Steven," only to go directly back to the blowjob.

And he's so skilled at it, doing wicked things with his tongue and then sucking Steve in deeper. He also seems to know how exactly to touch Steve, a hand firmly grasping the base of his cock to set the rhythm and caressing his perineum and hole with the other. Tony's mouth is hot and wet, and seeing his lips stretched around Steve's cock is spectacular.

"So good," Steve says, words almost slurred. 

He's holding on to the metal of the headboard firmly, trying not to push in the welcoming heat. Tony, on the other hand, has a different idea. He grabs Steve's hips and pulls, taking more of Steve's cock. It's so hot and slick inside, Steve is powerless to resist such an invitation. He carefully moves in and out, soothed when Tony groans his approval. 

"You're taking it so well," he marvels.

Tony squeezes his ass, asks for more and Steve pushes until he's got to be in Tony's throat. It's one of the hottest thing he's ever seen and felt, which unsurprisingly brings him rapidly on the edge of coming. 

"I'm close," he tells Tony. "So close."

Instead of pulling off, Tony sucks even harder on an out stroke, then all but shoves Steve in with urgency. Clearly, Tony wants him to fuck his face.

"Are you sure?" 

Somehow, Tony manages to nod, intense eyes on him, pupils blown wide.

"Okay," Steve says, starting to move. He's careful still, but dares push a little deeper and Tony keens. "Okay," he repeats. "Got it."

He manages maybe half a dozen strokes and it's too much, the pressure rising inexorably.

"I'm going to come," he warns. 

He doesn't know what he'd prefer: coming down Tony's throat, or marking him with his release. The images that these fantasies ― both of them ― conjure trigger Steve's orgasm, the world whiting out a little at how good it feels. It's been a while since Steve has jacked off. He'd start reliving his interactions with the Skrull every time he tried to touch himself, so it's a particularly long climax and there's a lot of come. He should have thought about that before coming in Tony's mouth, especially without asking first, and pulls out half way through. That means he can get his cake and eat it too, since a white string of come lands on Tony's lip, chin and cheek, marking him up.

"Sorry, sorry," he pants, pleasure still coursing through his nerves and multiplied by the visual. 

Tony swallows, and his tongue darts out to lick at his lower lip to clean it up. 

"Don't be, big guy. Loved it." His voice is rough from his throat being used and it makes Steve a little crazy to know he's the cause. 

Steve moves down the bed so he can kiss Tony properly, pouring all of his gratitude in it. He tastes like spunk, and arches up when Steve finally brushes over his dick, cupping him with his hand. Tony is hard as a rock, and the silky material of the boxers has a huge sticky wet patch now. 

"You were so good," Steve says fervently. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." Tony looks happy at the praise, and even more at being finally touched. "You can thank me by fucking me nice and hard, how about that?"

"Sounds great," Steve says. "Where's the lube?"

Tony plunges a hand under the frankly excessive amount of pillows he'd pushed away earlier and produces a tube of lube with a flourish.

"Tah dah!"

He's so cute, Steve has to kiss him again as he accepts the tube.

"Thanks. Condoms?"

"We don't need them, right? Unless you want? If so ― in the night stand," Tony says with a gesture to the article of furniture on his left.

"We don't need them," Steve says, thriled that he'll get to feel Tony without a barrier

He helps Tony getting rid of his underwear, finally revealing his hard cock. He can't wait to suck him, too, but that's not what Tony asked for right now. Steve kneels between Tony's thighs, who spreads out shamelessly. 

"Come on, Steve," Tony complains when Steve starts by gently spreading lube on his opening, a teasing caress. "I want you, hurry up."

It almost makes Steve slow down, but he takes pity and dips a finger in and is bewitched at how Tony's body welcomes it. And the sounds he makes while turning to putty in Steve's hands? Will fuel Steve's fantasies for sure. Tony is so very responsive, and it's easy to guess when he needs a moment to adjust ― even though he says he's fine ― or is in fact ready for more.

Steve refuses to rush this: thorough preparation is key, his cock being on the large size. He takes his time, adds lots of lube, prods and stretches while adding digits only when he's sure it's going to bring pleasure, not discomfort. By the time Steve is at four fingers, Tony is very keyed up, looks like a beautiful mess and is definitely at the end of his patience.

"I am ready! What are you waiting for, a marriage proposal?"

It's a joke, but Steve's heart leaps, nonetheless. God, that's a thought.

"What if I am?" he banters back, to keep the mood light. 

"Nail me right and I'll consider it. But I don't buy until I try."

The worst is that Steve's not sure it's a joke all that much at this point, Tony looks a lot more serious than a moment ago.

"I'll do my best then," Steve says, pulling out his hands and coating his dick with more lube. It might get messy, but he's learned with experience that there is no such thing as too much, especially with anal.

"Good."

Steve lines up and makes his way in steadily, stopping when Tony's breath hitch. As impatient as Tony is, he knows they can't rush this. Maybe when they'll know each other's body more, but not on a first time. Carefully, Steve pushes until he finally bottoms up and then stills.

"Are you okay?" he asks, eyes roaming over Tony's face that is a mix of aroused and tense.

"Give me a sec, and I will be." He breathes out slowly. "Jesus, I'm going to feel you for days."

It makes Steve's dick twitch, which Tony clearly feels. 

"Yeah, definitely. But in a good way, I swear." Tony then nudges at Steve's ass with an heel. "You can move now, it's okay."

Steve pulls out a little, then pushes back in. Tony's body is still gripping his cock like a vice, he's afraid to injure him.

"Come on," Tony urges again. "Go. I can take it. I'm the invincible Iron Man, I won't break!"

That's relative, especially with the size of Steve's penis and the strength that he needs to keep in check at all time. He'd never forgive himself if he hurt Tony. So very gently, Steve gives another thrust and he must brush a sweet spot because Tony breathes out sharply and shudders.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it."

Tony is adjusting and relaxing more and more, allowing Steve to set a slow rhythm, and then a faster one when he gets urged on. Soon he's thrusting in earnest, Tony taking it like a champ, giving himself fully Steve.

"God, you're gorgeous," Steve says, reverent. And he's so hot and silky inside, tight and perfect. 

"That's my line," Tony says between moans.

Steve angles his trust and when Tony cries out he knows he's found the spot. It's so thrilling to see that he can give him so much pleasure.

"No, no, definitely my line. You're beautiful. Stunning." Steve keeps his balance with only one forearm on the bed and lowers his other hand to close a fist around Tony's cock, that has been very neglected in all of these proceedings.

"Oh, fuck."

The joke about how he's doing just that dies on Steve's tongue when after a firm stroke Tony starts coming. The combination of seeing Tony's ecstasy and feeling him squeeze and flutter around Steve's own cock surprises the second orgasm out of him, too. He follows over the edge with a shout, burying himself as far as he can go in Tony's body and letting go. The pleasure is intense, especially in such rapid succession to his first, and Steve's almost overwhelmed by it. It feels so good, and he's so happy that they are here, now, together. 

He lists to the side, panting like an old train engine, and muses that he's never seen back spots dancing in his field of vision quite that way before. He's still half way on and in Tony, and kisses the closest body part he has access too. A shoulder, in fact.

"Love your shoulders," he says, too sex-stupid to mind being loopy.

"We're in a mutual shoulder appreciation club, then," Tony says, drawing spirals on Steve's with the tip of his fingers. 

"I appreciate you. A lot." Steve doesn't dare the L word. Yet. But he's gone, for sure, head over heels in love with this man.

"I appreciate you too," Tony says, fingers now running through his hair. It's so tender and affectionate, he'd purr if he could.

Steve smiles against Tony's skin, satisfaction sinking into his bones and his heart. They are going to be great together, he knows it. Astonishing, even. 

He is lucky enough to have caught the rich and handsome fellow, that seemed like an asshole at first but has a heart of gold... for sure Steve's going to have his happy ending.

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> For the slight non-con warnings: a Skrull impersonates Tony and flirts with Steve. Steve eventually kisses them, thinking it's the real Tony, but it's not. That's as far as it goes, as no-con goes, but it remains that Steve is deceived in kissing a stranger.
> 
> This is a fill for Langley in relation to Marvel Trumps Hate 2018: thank you so very much: first for your generosity when you bet on my auction, but also for your patience to finally get your story. I hope you enjoy the way I wrote your Skrull promt. :)
> 
> Also, I cannot thank enough Sheron for the ASTOUNDING beta work, that I also won through MTH by the way! Sheron did such a fantastic job – and generously helped as I was plotting the story, even - and asked so many challenging questions that did so much to make the fic better. It was a fantastic learning experience and I could not be more grateful. All the errors that might have resulted from adjusting the story are my own.
> 
> Other notes!
> 
> One- I borrowed the title of the fic from a Bonny Tyler song ([It's a heartache](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8VGQTtENSs)) because it felt to me the song fits Steve's mood for lots of the fic.
> 
> Two- I also borrowed the title of the (fake) romance novel, from [here](https://towardsdatascience.com/romance-novels-generated-by-artificial-intelligence-1b31d9c872b2), because it made me smile.
> 
> Three- If you want to know more about the science behind the lie the Skrull said to Steve to get his blood, learn more about NETs [here](https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/immune-system/understanding-white-blood-cells-defense-mechanisms-could-lead-better-treatments)
> 
> And Four: I have a Tumblr [@gottalovev](https://gottalovev.tumblr.com/)and am always happy to make new friends :) 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!


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